29th January, St Francis de Sales, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

St Francis de Sales, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor of the Church

The Word made flesh makes known to us by His teaching the mysteries of His divine wisdom, and by His miracles His eternal love. St. Francis of Sales, a doctor of the Church, had a share in the knowledge of the Incarnate Word (Gradual), and like Him, by his gentle charity (Collect) worked wonders of conversion.

Sent to "preach the word of God to the Calvinists of Chablais, he brought back sixty thousand to the Catholic Faith" (Breviary). Having become the father of the Church at Geneva and founder of the Order of the Visitation, he shed over this double family (Communion) the rays of his apostolic zeal and of his gentle holiness.

"May your light shine before men, so that seeing your works they may glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Gospel). It is especially God's goodness which this saint revealed. "If we must fall into some excess," St. Francis of Sales would say, "let it be on the side of gentleness".

"I wish to love him so much, this dear neighbour, I wish to love him so much! It has pleased God so to make my heart! Oh! when shall we be impregnated with gentleness and in charity towards our neighbour?"

St. Francis of Sales died at Lyons in 1622.

Let us remember this saint's two sayings: "You can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a hundred barrels of vinegar." "What is good makes no noise, noise does no good."

In medio Ecclesiae aperuit os ejus: et implevit eum Dominus spiritu sapientiae et intellectus: stolam gloriae induit eum. * Bonum est confiteri Domino: et psallere nomini tuo, Altissime.

In the midst of the Church the Lord opened his mouth: and He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding: He clothed him with a robe of glory. * It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to Thy name, O most High.

(Ecclesiasticus 15:5 and Psalm 91:2 from the Introit of Mass)

Deus, qui ad animárum salútem beátum Francíscum Confessórem tuum atque Pontíficem ómnibus ómnium factum esse voluísti: concéde propítius; ut, caritátis tuae dulcédine perfúsi, ejus dirigéntibus mónitis ac suffragántibus méritis, aetérna gáudia consequámur.

O God, by whose gracious will blessed Francis, Thy confessor and bishop, became all things to all men, for the salvation of their souls; grant, we beseech Thee that being filled with the sweetness of Thy love, we may, by the guidance of his counsels and by the aid of his merits, attain unto the joys of everlasting life. 

(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06220a.htm